I’m really pleased to introduce Debbie Earp to you. Debbie is the owner of the Earp Group, and Debbie specializes in listings, although you may also sell.
Debbie: Right.
Jim: So Debbie, let’s talk about listings right now. Now we’ve got a very competitive market, a lot of houses on the market, if somebody wants to — and probably I guess we have buyers that are pretty choosey right now.
Debbie: Very much so.
Jim: So if someone’s listing their house today, what should they do? What’s the couple things they should really consider and make sure they do above all else.
Debbie: The first thing is to find a real estate agent who has a lot of experience and can guide them on how to get their house ready for the market. That seems to be the most important thing now. And to help them come up with a price that’s competitive since there is so much inventory.
Jim: Ok, now when you’re speaking of getting ready, can you give me a couple of bullet points on that? What do people need to do to get their house ready?
Debbie: The basis of getting their house ready is to make it like it’s a new home. Obviously people aren’t going to redo everything, but what they’re going to have to do is de-clutter and live in it in different ways than they’re used to. And that expectation is important for them to understand in today’s market, compared to a few years ago when it wasn’t as important.
Jim: Ok, so they’ve really got to de=clutter, get the house showable.
Debbie: And in very good condition.
Jim: Ok, what happens if somebody — I mean you probably run into buyers who don’t exactly want to do everything that you want.
Debbie: Sellers.
Jim: Right, sellers, when a seller doesn’t want to do everything that needs to be done or that you recommend, what typically happens?
Debbie: I think the best way to help the seller understand the importance of getting a house in great condition is to tour and preview homes that are on the market that are going to be competitive. Because then they really can see how their house is going to compare. It’s a delicate subject, but it’s one that has to be broached.
Jim: Right, right. Because I can see how sellers may not want to invest the dollars that it takes to bring their house up to current standards.
Debbie: Correct.
Jim: Okay.
Debbie: I also hire a home stager, and she goes out and rights a report to help them know what to do. So that’s very helpful.
Jim: Oh, perfect, perfect.
Debbie Earp – www.TheEarpGroup.com
Contact Jim Enright
Corporate Investors Mortgage Group
24/7 – 919-569-5930
www.MortgageChoice.com
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